The Lagos State Government has taken delivery of 20 additional high-capacity Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses as part of the Presidential Initiative on CNG and Electric Vehicle (EV) Buses. The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) announced the handover on Wednesday, stating that the buses would increase public transport capacity in the state. This development is expected to support the transition to cleaner energy and improve public transport services.
The Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, expressed gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the initiative and called for more federal support, including additional CNG buses and infrastructure for their operation and maintenance. He emphasized the importance of building a cleaner future, stating that "a cleaner Lagos is a better Lagos." Mr. Osiyemi also urged private investors to explore opportunities in fleet financing and leasing, CNG infrastructure, electric vehicle charging, vehicle maintenance, ticketing, technology, and fleet management.
The handover ceremony took place in Lagos, where Mr. Osiyemi and other officials received the buses. The Commissioner encouraged operators to properly maintain the buses and deploy them efficiently. He also highlighted the need for a more structured transport system in Lagos, which is being addressed through the Bus Industry Transition Programme (BITP). This program aims to integrate informal transport operators into a more organized system.
Lagos has been facing a longstanding shortage of public transport buses, with LAMATA stating in March 2025 that the state needed about 15,000 buses to move passengers effectively. At the time, the agency's operational fleet was slightly above 1,000. The latest handover brings the total number of CNG buses in Lagos to 150, including 36 allocated to operators under LAMATA's regulatory framework.
LAMATA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Abimbola Akinajo, stated that the 20 buses would be deployed on selected corridors to increase service capacity. She urged beneficiary operators to ensure the buses were properly maintained and deployed efficiently. The Managing Director also acknowledged the efforts of the federal government in expanding its National Affordable CNG Transit Programme.
The Chief Operations Officer of Pi-CNG&EV, Tosin Coker, also emphasized the importance of proper maintenance of the buses. The latest handover is part of the federal government's efforts to reduce transportation costs, with President Tinubu stating on September 19 that Lagos was among the states expanding CNG-supported transport services, targeting lower transportation costs from October 1.
The Lagos State Government, LAMATA, the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), and the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) signed an agreement in August to integrate informal transport operators into a more structured system. This development is expected to improve the overall public transport experience in Lagos, with the 20 additional CNG buses being a significant step in that direction.
Key points
- The Lagos State Government has received 20 additional CNG buses to boost public transport capacity and support the transition to cleaner energy.
- The buses will be deployed on selected corridors to increase service capacity and improve public transport services.
- The development is part of the federal government's efforts to reduce transportation costs and expand CNG-supported transport services.
